The nature of love
by ladyblakh
Summary: Percy returns home to Marguerite after the events of I will repay, and they talk about the nature of love.


When Percy entered the bedroom he saw that Marguerite was asleep, and his heart filled with joy to finally be with her again. He had promised her to always wake her up when he arrived home, whatever the time was. He went up to the bed and sat down by her side, took her hand in his own and kissed it tenderly. She opened her eyes and looked at him, and she smiled.

"I was not asleep..." she whispered. "Would you believe me if I said that I could not bear to look upon you until you were by my side?"

"I believe you, my love... And I do also believe that you would not have bore to look upon me yesterday."

"And why is that?"

"Because I was dressed as a coal heaver and covered in grime from head to toe. A nasty sight, I can assure you."

"So what have you been up to? You have to tell me all about it."

"So I shall, my love, but not until I have come to rest beside you."

He started to undress, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it in the armchair by the window. Marguerite looked at him, enjoying the sight of his broad chest and muscular arms, and she longed to touch him. They spent far too little time together in these days, but the pain she felt when they were apart was weighed up by the joy of their reunions.

"So, tell me" she said to him when he had lay down beside her.

"Well, I ran into my old friend Paul."

"You mean Chauvelin?"

"Oh no, he was hardly even involved this time. I mean Paul Derodele."

"How is he?"

"Oh, he is very well. He sailed with me back to England today."

"So he had to flee?"

"Yes, and of course it was all because of a woman. Well, two women, actually... Marie Antoinette was also involved. He planned to attempt to free her from la Conciergerie."

"My God... Did you not tell him that it was impossible?"

"Yes, I certainly did, but I also offered him my help if he would insist with going through with his plans. I did not intend to do anything foolish, mind you. Well, not anything more foolish than usual" Percy said and laughed.

"You take enough risks as far as I am concerned."

"I know, my love... But I do try to be careful. I would not want to risk not to be able to come back to you."

"I know..."

"Anyway, Paul got a guest in his house, the certain sister of a count who Paul killed many years ago."

"Paul killed a man?"

"It was a fair duel, and the count almost threw himself at Paul's blade. He was very foolish and clumsy indeed. But his father made his daughter, Juliette, swear an oath to avenge her brother. You can imagine what a terrible burden it was for the poor girl who was only fourteen years old at the time. Paul came to love her, but she betrayed him. Soldiers searched the house, but she had regrets and burned the evidence. They arrested her for coming with false accusations, and Paul defended her in court and confessed that the papers had been his. They had been plans to free Marie Antoinette, and of course he sentenced himself to death with that confession."

"And Juliette?"

"She was also sentenced to death, and it fitted my plans very well. You see, I wanted to keep them together, or otherwise I would not have been able to save them. I had disguised myself as a coal heaver and called myself Lenoir. I had infiltrated the Jacobin club in Paris and became a quite influential member. After the death sentences had been delivered, I started to urge the spectators to take matters into their own hands and hang Paul and Juliette in a lamp post. The situation grew out of control, and Andrew and Tony came with orders to take the prisoners away in secret. They overcame the prisoners' escorts and bound them, and then we blended in with the crowd as they forced their way through the gates of Paris. I do not know why they did it, and I guess that they did not even know it themselves. Then we could safely leave the crowd and head north, and I believe that the young couple will live happily ever after."

"She forgave him?" Marguerite asked, bewildered. "After that she had betrayed him?"

"My love..." Percy said tenderly. "You talk like you do not know what love is."

"I think I do..." Marguerite said and smiled. "I once betrayed you, and you forgave me."

"But you did not do it out of hatred, but to save your brother."

"Yes... But still. I am glad that I did not know your identity, because God knows that I would not have been able to choose between you!"

"I believe that I would have deserved the shortest straw."

"Do not say that... I love you."

"And I love you, with all your faults."

"All my faults?" Marguerite asked and raised her eyebrows. "Are you trying to get yourself into trouble?"

"Not at all, my love. I told Paul that he should not worship a saint but rather pull her down from her pedestal and into his arms. To love is to be one with another person, in both virtue and sin. To love a woman she must stand by your side, be happy with you, suffer with you and sin with you. I once believed that you were a saint, and I worshipped you. I still do, but I have pulled you down from your pedestal and into my arms. As my illusions fell from my eyes, I knew what true love was."

"Oh, Percy... You certainly know how to get yourself out of trouble!" Marguerite said and smiled. "You said that a man and a woman must sin with each other to know love. Would you like to sin with me now?"

"Well, I do not believe that it would be a sin since we are married."

"How do you know what I was talking about?"

"Oh, I know you..." Percy said and smiled.

"You are right... But there are things that even husband and wife can do together that are considered sinful, if you remember..."

"No, I think that you will have to remind me!" Percy said, and Marguerite laughed and kissed him.


End file.
